Snap switch



L. LARSEN.

SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-28.1919.

Patented May 30, 1922.

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A TTOR/VE Y8 UNITED STATES LUDYIG- LARSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SNAP SWITCH.

Application filed November 28, 1919.

To all whom it may concermy Be it known that I, LUDVIG LARSEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Snap Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in snap switches for closing electric circuits, and it consists in the combinations,-constluctions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a snap switch .in which an oscillating switch arm, when moved in one direction, will operate to break the circuit, and when -moved in the-opposite direction, will close it, both the opening and the closing of the circuit being accomplished quickly by the action of one spring;

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch of the type described in which the circuit is broken at a number of different points when the switch arm is moved in one direction, and is closed at the same points when the switch arm is moved in another direction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch of the type described which will carry a large current, owing to numerous conducting arms, these arms being made of relatively light material.

A furtherobjeot of my invention is to provide a switch which, when operated, is positively locked in position until the switch arm is moved.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompa'nying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure-1 is a side view of the device,

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4,-4 of Figure 2, and

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail perspective views of portions of the device, I

In carrying out my invention, I provide Specification of Letters Batent.

member 9 at its center.

Serial No. 341,121.

a U-shaped plate 1 (see Figure 1) which s made of insulating material, and which is secured by means'of screws to a face plate 3.

The latter has a longitudinal opening 4, as shown in the drawings. Secured to the insulating plate 1 are 5, 6, 7 and 8, the contacts 5 and 6 being diagonally arranged within the insulating plate 1 with respect to the contacts 7 and 6.

Secured to the U-shaped insulatin plate 1 is a bracket 9 of the shape shown inIigure 5, which is provided with cars 10 and with openlngs 11 fora pivot pin 12. Disposed between the ears 10 is a yoke 13 having portions 14 provided with slots 15 (see Figure 6) arranged to receive the pivot, pin 12.

Disposed within the yoke 13 is a contact member 16 having four contact arms 5', 6, 7 and 8. The member 16 has alined openings 17 arranged to receive the pivot pin'12.

Disposed. between the ears 10 is a spring stop member 18 which is secured to the p This spring stop has outwardly extending lugs 19 which are arranged to enter-slots 20 in the member 16.

A switch arm 21 is provided with are shaped extending portions 22. The end of the yoke 13 is secured to the switch arm.

Disposed on the pivot pin 12 between the opposed portions of the member 16 is a spacing block 23 (see Figures 2, 3 and 4). A spiral spring 24 has one end. 25 arranged to bear on one side of the yoke 13, the opposite end 26 bearing on the opposite side.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be "readily understood. In Figure 1 the arms 5, 6, 7 and 8 are in engagement with their respective contacts 5, 6, 7 and 8. The contacts 5 and'6 are connected with a binding post'27, by means of a conductor 28, while the contacts 7 and 8 are connected with the binding post 29 by a conductor 30. The current from the binding post 27 to the binding post 29 flows through the four arms. Now when the switch arm 21 in Figure 1 is pushed downwardly, it will movethe end of the spring 25 (see Figure 3) with it. It will also move the portion 14 of the yoke 13 until the por tion 14 engages the lugs 19. of the locking sprin 18 and forces them out of the slots 20. The spring 24 being under tension causesa quick throw of the member 16 bearthe spring contacts Patented May 30, 1922.

ing the arms 5, 6, 7 and 8, thus breaking the circuit. hen the member 16 reaches the positionshown in Figure 2, the upper lugs 19 of the spring catch 18 again drop into the upper slots 20, thus locking the switch positively until the spring arm 21 is moved upwardly. l WVhen the switch arm is moved upwardly, the end of the spring 26 is first moved, thus putting the spring under tension, and the device is now unlocked, the portion 14 of the yoke disengaging the lugs 19, whereupon the arms 5, 6' 7' and 8 are snapped into engagement with their respective con- -tacts 5, 6, 7 and 8, thus completing the circuit.

I claim:

1. A snap switch comprising an insulating casing, a face plate secured thereto and belng. provided with an opening, a plurality of stationary contacts carried by said insulating casing, a bracket secured to said insulating casing, a switch arm pivotally mounted in said casing and adapted to oscillate in the openingvof said face plate, a conducting frame pivotally mounted in said bracket and being provided with slots, said frame having arms adapted to engage said stationary contact plates, a spring stop secured to said bracket and having lugs adapted to enter either of said slots in said conducting frame, a spring carried by said bracket and having its ends engaging said ing casing, a face plate secured thereto and being provided with an opening, a plurality of stationary contacts carried by said insulating casing, a bracket secured to said insulating casing and carrying a pin, a switch arm pivotally mounted in said casing, adapted to oscillate in the opening of said face plate and limited by said pin in its oscillatory movement, a conducting frame pivotally mounted in said bracket and being provided with slots, said frame having arms adapted to engage said stationary contact plates, a spring stop secured to said bracket and having lugs adapted to selectively engage the slots in said conducting frame, a coil spring carried by said pin and having its ends engaging said switch arm and said conductingframe, a pair of lugs carried by said switch arm for releasing said spring stop from the slots in said conducting frame after a predetermined movement of said switch" arm, whereby said coil spring gives said conducting frame a quick throw.

VLUDVIG LARSEN, 

